


Closing the Distance

by LaviKatsurou



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Au Ra Raen (Final Fantasy XIV), Au Ra Xaela (Final Fantasy XIV), Biting, Blood and Violence, Choking (not the fun kind), Dubious Consent, Escort Service, Eventual Smut, Flashbacks, Gen, Hypnotism, Injury, M/M, Momodi Modi (mentioned), Multiple Personalities, Multiple Selves, Past Character Death, Pole Dancing, Rape/Non-con Elements, Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te (Final Fantasy XIV), Slow Burn, lore heavy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:54:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29876631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaviKatsurou/pseuds/LaviKatsurou
Summary: Café barista by day, playboy dancer by night, Luciel/Lycoris barely has time to settle down for a break. His more cheerful and innocent façade during the day, Luciel, is a charade to appeal more to his daytime boss and fellow barista, Lavi, at the Café Sourire du Matin. By night he's Lycoris, a smug dancer and escort in a nightclub and he's determined to keep that a secret from him. A chance encounter in the slums of Ul'dah began an unlikely partnership--but will their relationship develop into something more?It was supposed to be just like any other night for Lycoris. His night job is a respite from keeping up his daytime disguise. However, one night things get complicated. A familiar face finds him, sending him in a panic as they question his trust.
Relationships: Lavi & Jirou, Lavi/Luciel, Lavi/Lycoris, Lycoris & Tessa
Kudos: 4





	1. Conflagration

It was business as usual at the club with many patrons coming and going. Luciel—no, Lycoris—was in his usual position, taking center stage. He and his fellow dancers were performing at their best today, which usually garnered the attention of the more wealthy patrons who wanted a private dance. However, he didn’t come cheap. Only patrons whose wealth measured to that of the Syndicate—at the very least—could afford him.

 _Anything that would please her ladyship Tessa_ , he thought. In his mind he could see her gold eyes light up when she'd cash in extra. Ever since the day he had taken up this job he learned more about this small yet well-endowed Raen who was quite the business entrepreneur. She certainly loved the clink of coin as it lined her purses—but what for, he wasn’t sure he’d ever know.

Lycoris kept dancing, feigning smiles towards the clients that stood near him and enjoyed the view. They held his fiery-rouge hair and well-toned build in high esteem. For his escorts, the only thing that stood in their way was his leather pants—his chest laid bare for all to see. He knew his line of work drew in invasive glances and rather crass remarks about his body and its prowess, but it did not dissuade him one bit. Every gaze and comment reminded him how far above he was compared to them. They came here to find something that they lacked in their intimate lives and without him and his fellow dancers they’d continue to live with that emptiness. One could say his boss truly was a cruel mistress, exploiting their loneliness like this.

Notwithstanding, he pressed on, shaking his hips and gazing with his amber eyes at his clients teasingly. None of that mattered when he too needed to make a living—he’d rather not incur Tessa’s wrath if he was caught slacking.

With a daring maneuver he latched his hands onto the pole next to him, kicking off from the floor so that he could straddle it. He spun slowly while holding up his weight, using his right knee that wrapped around it as an anchor. Eventually he’d slow to a stop, arching his spine backward while his legs rose skyward. The strength in his thighs kept him steady along with a hand that kept its solid grip on the pole. Pleased with this trick, it drew grins that eagerly hungered to see what else his body could do.

But now there was one face among them that nearly made him lose balance. Even though his vision was upturned, his vision was still clear. That face was unmistakable—it was clearly Lavi’s. His smile was not the same faint smile he was used to seeing—it was taunting him. When their gazes met that smile stayed on his face as his recognition of him was painfully clear. Terror struck him in his breast. Lycoris did one last flourish as he set himself down on the floor, still making a few motions towards his patrons before he made his abrupt but carefully improvised stylish exit.

He had to go, he couldn’t stay there now that he knew.

“Wait, your shift’s not over yet!” Tessa yelled, scrambling to catch up with him. The Au Ra was clad in a violet dress tapered off to one side, a dark corset framing her petite body. Hyacinths were combed into her pearly white hair, which brought out her faint pink highlights. One would describe her as a gentle beauty if not for the exasperation on her face.

Lycoris was quick about packing up his belongings and ripped away his performance clothes. He needed to clothe himself up, he couldn’t be seen by him like this—

“Dock my pay for today,” Lycoris said coldly without giving his boss a glance. He knew the consequences of what he was doing, but his mind and his heart were in shambles—he couldn’t focus. He resolved to deal with it later. He cut her off mid-sentence as he slammed the back door shut, exiting the club.

* * *

Where would he go? The only place he could at this hour—The Hourglass. He had to take a new route there. He couldn’t wait to hit the bed and cover his face in his own misery—but that would have to wait. It did not take him more than seven yalms before he was stopped in his tracks.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

The man was standing in his way, an arm against the wall with his other hand at the hip. He was staring at Lycoris intensely, as if he were a hunt that shouldn’t be overlooked. There was no one else nearby, leaving the two of them alone.

“I...” He looked up to see Lavi with a pained expression in his face. Though he towered over Lycoris, the feelings he was experiencing seemed to dwarf his presence in comparison.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why do you run? Do you not trust me?” Lavi pleaded. Every word that came out of his mouth stabbed into him—they were the very words he was dreading to hear. He had always given him solace and the last thing he wanted to do was betray his trust. Lycoris shook, his knees about to give out as the man before him continued to judge him silently while his questions went unanswered.

“I-I’m sorry I lied—“

Lycoris couldn’t even finish before Lavi roughly pinned him to the wall. This came as a shock; this was the closest the two had ever been. Not once was the man ever willing to get this close or to even endeavor touching him. Something was wrong.

“You rightfully belong to **me**!!” It was then that he bit into Lycoris’s shoulder so hard that it drew blood. The latter struggled to break free from his grip but he hardly budged.

“!!! T-that hurts...! Stop, Lavi!...” he cried. Hearing his name, Lavi’s grip on him tensed and he drew his head back, his expression vacant.  
“...I see. So you were ‘his’ all along. Funny...” He came close once again to sniff at his neck and his hair. “You don’t have his scent. Could it be he didn’t...”

As the man parsed through his thoughts Lycoris saw a haziness in his vision as he looked directly at him. His glamour started to fade away. He didn’t have the usual gloves he’d wear at all times, and despite having the exact same face he could now see his hair was a little more rouge. The man saw fit to express his build; uncharacteristic of his boss at the café. This wasn’t Lavi at all.

“You...!” Enraged, he kicked him in the stomach, pushing the impostor away. “How dare you use his face and deceive me!”

The impostor hardly seemed fazed by the retaliation. He started howling with laughter, paying no heed to the man he had just violated right before him. This made Lycoris seethe even more, swearing under his breath that he’d murder him tonight for what he’d done. He hoped the bite wouldn’t leave a mark.

“Trust me, if I could tear this face off I would. Every time I’m reminded we share the same face.... it sickens me.” Snapping out of his small reverie, he stared at Lycoris with a frenzied look on his face. He was furious now. No longer having the calm veneer that Lavi had, it couldn’t be more clear that he was a completely different person.

“I need to let out this frustration right now, and you seem to be able to back up that whiny little mewling mouth of yours. Entertain me for me a while longer, dancer.”

The contempt on Lycoris’s face was palpable, so much so that it excited the impostor at his core. The impostor had never seen someone else with as much fervor and life in their eyes. It was a shame that those eyes yearned for the man who he detested with all his being. He saw that Lycoris was poised to attack, his form definitely of someone who was a natural at fighting.

The Miqo’te lunged at him, narrowly missing his jaw with another fist following up towards his abdomen. The man blocked it, his arm slightly reeling from the impact as he countered back with a kick at his side to knock him off-balance. His opponent didn’t completely buckle and took the hit head-on. He then attempted to kick his shins to make him lose his footing. The attempt was slow, however, and he was elbowed down the back of his neck when he left his back exposed.

Normally it would have knocked anyone out but Lycoris rebounded when his face almost connected to the floor. In a swift motion he broke his fall with both of his hands and swung his legs at the impostor, bucking his legs up so he could stand upright once again. The Au Ra jumped out of his way, anticipating his next move. He saw that Lycoris was breathing heavily, reaching for something behind his back. A pair of blades—no, a set of bladed chakrams. He grinned at the sight.

“Oooh? Out for my blood now, are we?”

“I’ll cut your throat out—that’ll shut you up,” Lycoris said venomously.

“I’d love to see you try.”

The man kept up that irritating grin throughout the whole encounter, taunting him with a finger beckoning to him. He didn’t unsheathe weapons of his own, he didn’t need any. His body was the only weapon he needed and he was proud of it; beating a fist to his chest to taunt Lycoris further.

A blade whizzed at him, this time not missing its mark. It sliced his arm but left only a shallow wound. However, he didn’t flinch. The pain fueled his fire and made him more excited than ever. Like an unstoppable ram he charged at the dancer quickly, the urge to beat him in intensifying as he retaliated against him.

The duel went on like a dance, a situation all too familiar for Lycoris. That thrill mixed with his anger contributed to the grace of his deadly movements, his chakrams lacerating the man before him. Despite this, his assailant was no slack in combat, being able to keep up with his movements despite his injuries. For every punch he couldn’t avoid, it connected and usually stunted him. He didn’t show any mercy, bruising him with nearly every hit.

Every attempt to silence him was fruitless, his body now feeling more sluggish as his mind started to register the pain he was receiving. In that moment of weakness the impostor took the opportunity to grab his neck and bash his head into the wall that was right behind him. The force of it caused him to drop his chakrams and he nearly slackened in his grip, his hands trying to claw away the arm keeping him upright.

“Shit! You bastard...!”

“Not bad. You gave me a good time and it was for free, no less.” He looked at the now bloodied and bruised Miqo’te before him and contemplated. “Such a waste. If you only you knew his true nature... would you still trust him?”

“What? What are you t—“

The Au Ra male tightened his grip on his neck, an even more frenzied look on his face. He was delighted at how battered his punching bag was due to his handiwork. Though he was choking the life out of him, he was careful not to snap his neck. Lycoris stared him down defiantly, still not giving in. The assailant’s eyes wandered to the bite mark he had left earlier in his shoulder, inciting a different emotion from the battle lust he was having. He wanted to relieve his frustration now in other ways—he could take him here and now. How lovely it would be to bathe in both their blood, their sweat, his tears—

“Is there someone there?” A voice called from a few yalms away. It was the Brass Blade patrol.

At that moment Lycoris kicked him in the abdomen, losing his grip and dropping him. He grabbed his weapons and made a break for the nearest corner he could turn so he wouldn’t be seen. He didn’t even look back to see if the impostor was following him. The Au Ra could not afford to be caught either; with inhuman reflexes he jumped onto the roof of the nearest building he could find, laying low as the patrol passed him by in confusion.

“Tch. I know where to find you, but you’re free...for now,” he whispered, licking the blood off his face as he disappeared into the night.

He had to go home, but where? There was no home for him. If he went to _The Hourglass_ now Momodi would call for a conjurer before he could even get a bed. He thought about the commotion his injuries might cause—it wasn’t worth it. Lycoris could hardly keep himself upright, holding his side while hanging onto a wall nearby him. His blood trailed behind him with each step nipping away at his consciousness. The pain was too much to bear. His vision blurred for a moment; making him lose his balance and before he knew it he dropped to the floor.

“Lavi... I’m sorry...” he said, hoarse.

His vision went black.

* * *

The information Lavi received led him here to the city-state of Ul’dah. He could feel that person’s presence—but he couldn’t pinpoint his exact location. With each step he took he felt that connection grow weaker little by little. He wondered as to why among the many possibilities, but he didn’t want to settle on any single reason. He had to find him soon.

His train of thought was stopped when he wandered into the path that led to the Sapphire Avenue Exchange in the Steps of Thal. A sense of foreboding took him as he had seen a fresh trail of blood, following it immediately. Someone could have been hurt and he needed to see if he could tend to them. He eventually found a man curled up in a corner next to a few crates, covered in bruises from head to toe. He hurried to him and as he kneeled to closer inspect him, horror gripped his expression once he realized who it was. The rouge hair and tail—it belonged to none other than Luciel.

“Luciel? What happened to you!?”

Still unconscious, he did not respond. He was scuffed and wounded badly; it was nothing like the first time he found him when he was passed out from fatigue and hunger. The Miqo’te was near unrecognizable with the bruises on his face and he was struggling to breathe.

“Please hold on...” he implored him, picking him up and cradling him close. There was no risk in doing so, for he was covered from the neck down. Anger channeled through every part of his body—he would find what or who had done this to him and make them pay.

But his priority was to tend to Luciel’s wounds first. He concentrated on both his and Luciel’s aether in preparation for his teleportation magicks with the intent to take him back to his home.

In the moment before their aether dissipated from this place, Lycoris had come to temporarily, the vision of Lavi’s grave expression permanently carved into his mind. He could only think about how he never wanted to see such an expression on his face again before he fell back into the darkness once more.


	2. Ardor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memories of his past come to haunt and comfort him, impacting the nightmares that grip Luciel. Now awake from his temporary coma, he realizes he's in Lavi's home residence. He gets his bearings before being made known of his current circumstances. This is the best opportunity to get to know his boss, but he didn't imagine things would end up like this. How will the Miqo'te handle his current living situation?

_Wandering aimlessly, he noted the surroundings around him, revealing to him slowly as he kept walking forward. The familiar cherry blossom trees he grew up with rustled beautifully as their petals fell down despite the lack of wind. His steps made no sound as the dirt path revealed itself before him until a small hut appeared. It was modest with a small garden where daikon grew, a watering canteen close by._

_The door was shut but he merely only had to call for his mother to answer the door._

“ _Muqin, I’m home.”_

_No answer._

“ _Muqin?” He was concerned now, looking to peer into his windows but they were shut tight. When there was no response fear struck his heart. He elbowed at the door to try to pry it open, bashing himself against the door until it finally came unhinged and opened._

_He took one step and he felt something wet, looking down to see a pool of blood seeping through his toes. He looked further ahead of him into a chasm that was larger than the size of their modest hut. The source of the blood was coming from further inside. Against his better judgment he decided to go follow it. His steps felt heavier as he proceeded, the liquid now reaching up to his calves._

_An invisible force smacked him in the back, causing him to fall forward, blood splattering all over his body. Nevertheless, he kept moving forward despite the seemingly random attempts to keep knocking him down. Each attempt pulled down at his limbs or knockied the wind out of him. He relented forward, unstoppable._

_Eventually, he came face to face with a body face-down on the floor. A lump was caught in his throat before he kneeled down before it, not minding that he was now stripped bare of his clothing. A modest amount of blood covered his features. He turned the body to see the lifeless, naked image of his mother yet her lips were still red with life. She looked so beautiful, and that beauty was the source of everyone’s desire for her. The reason that she’s—_

“ _Luciel…”_

__

_Barely a whisper escaped her lips. He held her hand and hung onto it tightly, as if his grip could keep her tethered even longer to this world. Her eyes, the very same that adorned his face, stared up to look at him—almost doll-like. He brought her hand towards his face, his tears falling as it mixed with her blood._

_He knew what came next._

_Those words rang in his head so often, whenever he needed to remember the reason why he kept on living._

_But they were not the comforting words she said that day._

“ _You should never have been born.”_

_His face was horror struck._

_“Why...?”_

_She didn’t respond as her hand fell limp, her eyes losing their life and looked up towards the heavens. Her body turned to ash in his hands with a voidsent replacing her visage. The silhouette came into shape, turning into a man that he had met not too long ago. It was Lavi’s twin, looking more demonic this time and reaching out towards him, his clawed hands trying to grasp his neck. But a voice stopped him short of doing so._

“ _Luciel.”_

 _There was no mistaking it, the_ _voice belonged to Lavi’s. A bright light shined down on the Miqo’te, and a hand reached out towards him. Though ungloved, he knew it was his. Without a second thought, he took his hand and he was pulled into the white void—away from this nightmare._

* * *

Luciel woke with a jolt, feeling every ounce of pain needling into his body. It did not take long for him to lay back down, sweaty. His lungs struggled for air, taking deep breaths to try and calm down.

_It was just a dream._

He felt so dehydrated. Fighting through the pain, he got up to head to the kitchen to get water. His vision was still blurry on the way, making little sense of his surroundings. Despite that he still found the kitchen and poured a glass. All it took was one sip to feel invigorated. Tiredness still took him again, forcing his limbs to walk himself back to bed.

Once he made it back to the bedroom, his vision became clear. This was not the same inn room at _The Hourglass_ at all. It was neatly furnished and larger than the average inn room; with a restroom included. The bed before him was draped in maroon curtains seemingly fit for the high-class. When he peered at the spot he had left, there was someone else already resting on the bed.

It was that man that attacked him.

“Eep—“

Or so he thought. In his surprise he almost screamed, but he covered his mouth so not as to wake the Au Ra male. Luciel looked closely again and saw that his hands were gloved; the same Taoist’s gloves that he had gifted him when he noticed that his old pair started to fray.

It was actually Lavi. Though this realization did nothing to change the rapid beating of his heart, he felt an incredible amount of relief knowing it was him instead.

He assessed him slowly, taking in the sight of his daytime boss that he wasn’t used to. Not in his usual apron, his chest was bare and he could see the scales that adorned every Au Ra; on their necks, arms, and legs. He was _fit_ , chiseled from combat training and adventuring. Luciel couldn’t help but feel warm as he took in his image. However, he caught his breath when he saw his scars—clear battle trophies of the arduous battles that he had fought. It contrasted with the tranquil of his face, eyes still closed in slumber. The temptation to reach out and touch his face against his better judgment took hold of him. But the Au Ra stayed his hand abruptly.

“Mmn...oh, you’re finally awake,” said Lavi. His eyes opened and looked at the Miqo’te in surprise, quickly followed by relief. His grip on Luciel’s wrist slackened, letting him go.

As he sat up and stretched Luciel’s eyes ate him up as his muscles contracted. He turned slightly so that he could not read the embarrassment on his face. The dancer should be used to this; normally he was the one unraveling his clients down to the flesh. With Lavi, it was different—seeing this side of him pleased him more than he expected. But he didn’t want to indulge too much, else he’d catch him drooling.

“....Why am I here?” asked Luciel. His head still felt like a haze, he tried remembering the events prior to him passing out—did he pass out? He wasn’t sure.

“I found you unconscious again in an alley. This is the second time now.”

“Oh.”

There was a moment of silence between them, Luciel staring down at his toes, or at least attempted to. He finally realized that the shirt and pants he was wearing was too big for him. They were Lavi’s clothes; with that knowledge he sheepishly grasped at the base of his shirt. He didn’t have the time to further gloss over this fact when a roaring growl escaped his stomach, cutting the silence.

Lavi chuckled, smiling weakly. He brushed his hair back from his face temporarily. “Are you hungry? I’ll go prepare breakfast.”

The Miqo’te had no time to protest before the man threw on a shirt that rested on a bedside table, preparing to leave for the kitchen.

“Feel free to wash up. After you’re done, there’s some texts in my study you can tide yourself with until I’m done.”

And with that, he was gone.

“By the kami, I hope I don’t look like shit,” he whispered once he was gone. He couldn’t afford to let Lavi hear how uncouth his mouth really was.

Luciel did as he suggested, going into the restroom first. What greeted him in the mirror was a badly beaten up face—thankfully there was no scarring. His face was a major charm point for both of his jobs. His head, parts of his cheeks, and his neck were wrapped in bandages. Pulling back on his sleeves, his whole right arm was bandaged up. He peeled off the shirt to see that his abdomen had been bandaged up as well. There was clear signs of damage everywhere; his body was so bruised and sore beneath all the bandages. The dancer definitely can't show up to work looking like this. A slight twinge of annoyance buzzed in his head; the bastard really did him in.

At the corner of the mirror’s reflection he saw his clothes neatly washed and folded; free of the blood that stained it. Bundling it up in his hands he sniffed at his newly laundered clothes, taking in the scent of lavender. The scent eased his mood, spotting his glasses that were set beside them. His nerves settled as he put his spectacles back on, maintaining his disguise. The Miqo’te opted out of wearing his clothes, setting then back down and donning Lavi’s shirt once more.

 _He won’t mind_ , he thought.

Luciel had no idea where his study was so he took a little tour of the hallways. It was clear that his boss was living well, keeping such a large house all to himself. He took a glimpse at his living room, furnished with a couch of Ul’dahn make. Rosewood cabinets lined up against the wall, framing a display monitor of magitek design. A _zataku_ —a short table from the Far East—rested in front of the couch and display, _zabuton_ cushions neatly stuffed under it for future use. He had a mind to come here once he found some books.

Searching for the study did not take long, it was a mere few paces to the left of him after the brief distraction. He caught his breath when he came face-to-face with a multitude of bookcases. Lavi’s office desk stood prominently in the center of the room; a veritable amount of documents both stacked neatly and unkempt across it. A white brightlily was placed in a small flowerpot on his desk, accompanied by an unlit brass pricket. He was surprised to find an ashtray, but its emptiness spoke of a long disuse. So he had smoked after all.

“Well, I won’t question how learned he is. Do I really feel like reading? Where do I even start...” Luciel pondered, his fingers tracing the book covers.

His thoughts lingered through his book search, processing what happened to him, who that man was, and what problem he had with him. He recalled the seething anger the man had for Lavi, unsure if it was just a simple rivalry or something more. Wanting answers, he deliberated whether or not he should talk to him about what happened. Lavi didn’t even ask about what occurred; perhaps he was just being considerate of him since he had just awoken. Or did he not care?

Such negative thoughts were blown away by the wafting scent of steamed rice and egg permeating through the house. His stomach grumbled again as his mouth salivated for the sweet anticipation of his meal. But it was too soon to go back to the kitchen, he could tell that Lavi was still cooking.

His fingers were still tracing each book’s spine to see what would interest him. Eventually, he came upon _Brooks Catalog of Fishes_. Fishing had always been his favorite pastime, however whether or not this decision was fueled by his hunger as well remains unsaid. The book spoke of each fish species native to Eorzea and how to find them; including the methods such as which bait should be used to lure them for a successful catch. Luciel assessed each page carefully, logging every detail in his memory right down to what the fish looked like, their average sizes, location, and so forth. He had a knack for remembering even the faintest details.

Finishing that tome, his attentions wandered elsewhere. He found a few scrolls that seemed familiar to him stashed in a basket on the floor. Taking one of them in hand, he unraveled the string on it to find that it was a scroll of Far Eastern script. It brought back nostalgic memories of his home. He had not read tomes or scrolls in his native language for a long time, so it took a small moment for him to recognize that the story on this scroll was about _The Four Lords_. His mother used to tell him stories about them—the kind, loving mother he knew—not the abomination he encountered in his dream.

“Genbu, Byakko, Seiryu, and... Suzaku. Formerly ordinary animals that attained sentience and godlike powers and became auspices. Both man and their kin were not kind to them, until a peerless samurai, Tenzen, befriended them. Together they fought against the oni....” he read aloud. He glossed over some parts, only thoroughly reading what interested him. “Suzaku was believed to be the Firebird of rebirth—Phoenix—that many coveted her. However, Tenzen saw her as a dear friend, and thus did her devotion to him begin... in their battle with the mad auspice Koryu, he lost his life. She carried her grief for his death and regret for not being the firebird of legend with her for many years…”

It was always her part of the story that moved him deeply. The memories came flooding back.

“ _Muqin, does she get a happy ending?” A small Luciel asked his mother; she was wrapping up her bedtime story, pulling his blanket over him._

“ _Perhaps in time,” she said softly, hiding the fact that for all that the Four Lords have done, the loss of their dear friend scattered them all._

“ _I say she gets to meet Tenzen one more time; both her and her friends! She’ll learn how to get him back.”_

“ _I’m sure she will.”_ _H_ _is mother kissed him on the forehead, stroking his hair. He was slowly falling asleep, comforted by her touch. “Sleep well, my little firebird.”_

“Muqin…”

“Breakfast is ready!” hollered Lavi from the kitchen, cutting his trip down memory lane.

“Okay! I’ll be there.”

Luciel’s ears perked up in excitement—he could finally eat! It tickled him every time he had the opportunity to taste Lavi’s cooking. He bound the scroll he was reading with the tie he had removed, setting it back down in the basket from which it came. He had the energy to skip out of the room like a love-struck idiot, but his bruises hurt again with the attempt, forcing him to walk at a leisurely pace. The aroma of the food led him to the kitchen and to his surprise the whole dining table was full of food.

The smells hit his olfactory senses in all the right places; there was quite a number of favorites amongst the small plates and bowls. His eyes ate up the table before him. There was standard bowl of steamed rice with pickled plum on top of it to his left, accompanied with a bowl of miso soup with tofu to his right. A small plate of radish and cucumbers to refresh the palate sat next to a plate of a filleted salmon. Furthermore, there was a plate of _tamagoyaki_ that looked fluffy to the touch on yet another separate plate. Neatly cut squares of _nori_ were similarly separated into their own bowl, a perfect companion to everything on the table. But what enticed him the most was a lidded pot with a very familiar scent. Luciel uncovered it to discover _chawanmushi_ —a savory egg custard filled with shiitake mushrooms, ginkgo nuts, fish cakes, and carrots.

His mouth was currently flooding at the sight. He couldn’t wait to dig in.

“Help yourself. I hope it’s enough,” said Lavi. He had a more modest collection of food in front of him, having everything Luciel had sans the chawanmushi. “Let me know if you want any seconds, too.”

Wasting no time, Luciel took chopsticks in hand, overlooking the spoon and fork set beside them and began to feast. Manners were all thrown out the window as he ate ravenously since he was completely starved. Every now and then he’d pause to drink some tea to help with keeping the food down.

All the while Lavi ate and sat across him silently, making note of his table manners. He forgave him, knowing how long he’d been unconscious. The Miqo’te had three days worth of hunger catching up to him. It took a considerable amount of effort to nurse him back to health but the result was worth it; he was awake and recovering. During that time the boss had been working at the cafe alone, many asking about Luciel’s whereabouts. Their patrons missed his presence; Tessa most of all. When inquiring about him she seemed so impatient; but her eyes never met his, begetting some form of reason. Her mood started to sour that it affected her menu choices; taking coffee completely black and eating her usual choice of muffin in silent anger.

“ _Just let me know when he’s coming back, and thanks for putting up with me,” she said. “You know, your business has been doing well pretty well. You seem happier, too.”_

“ _Do I?” Amused, he looked at her to see if she was being sarcastic._

“ _You do. I think taking on a new coworker’s been doing good for your mood. You’re not so intimidating now either,” she chided._

“ _Hmm,” he deliberated. Tessa put out her cup for him, prompting him to pour another bitter cup of coffee. “I... suppose.”_

“ _I dare say, are you falling in love with someone?”_

_Lavi almost dropped his carafe before pouring; quite uncommon of him to be clumsy. He was surprised at the sudden question. “Don’t be absurd.”_

_She gave him a devilish grin; and it took every ounce of willpower in him not to shake this tiny Au Ra female in front of him—which would look questionable at best with his customers._

Lavi never told his patrons the real reason why he was gone. Instead he informed them that he had fallen ill with a fever; which kept him home for a few days.

He focused on Luciel who continued to eat with gusto. seeing him out of uniform reminded him that he hardly knew much about his employee. Surely he should have seen his clothes newly laundered in the bathroom? He may have missed it somehow, looking at the oversized shirt on him. But he was definitely wearing his glasses. His guest seemed all too familiar with the cuisine he was eating, which wasn’t a staple for the everyday Eorzean. Perhaps he got accustomed to it with recent imports, but could he be from the Far East...? Lavi could only wordlessly glean from what he could see in front of him, not wanting to press him for answers for fear of invading his privacy.

It was interesting seeing him get so comfortable in his home compared to the first time he was here. Luciel was initially more bashful and quiet, but overtime he showed him a more cheerful and light-hearted side to him.

“ _Bossh, dihsh ish sho derishush_ ,” said Luciel, his mouth still full. The fish fillet was comically hanging from his mouth as he chewed. Beady tears of joy were coming from his eyes, his face flushed.

The cook chuckled. “I’m glad you’re enjoying your meal.”

He took his time to finish while Luciel still ate, noticing that he seemed the most content with the chawanmushi. It was a poor man’s dish, but still a great and simple appetizer. With each scoop he savored the egg with the fish cakes. It brought more light to Lavi’s expression, considering making it again for him another time.

By the end of their meal Lavi rounded up all the empty plates and bowls and got to washing. He had to remove his gloves for this task. It had been awhile since Lavi had to clean this much at once at home, but he didn’t mind. Luciel peered at his hands at this rare opportunity but couldn’t see them clearly at the angle he was from.

“I can help with that,” insisted Luciel.

“No, given your condition you should relax. I can handle this.”

Luciel pouted, his shoulders sinking. The Au Ra paid him no mind.

“I know it’s late but...thank you. For finding me, fixing me up, and feeding me,” murmured Luciel. He was scratching his head, flustered. “I just wanna pay you back somehow for helping me. You gave me a job, and now this. I’ve become even more of a burden again…”

A wordless pause followed as Lavi continued to wash the dishes. This worried the Miqo’te, thinking he was intentionally ignoring him.

“Hey—“

“You can pay me back by getting better and resuming your shift at the café,” said Lavi with as much kindness he could muster. He couldn’t help sounding curt, hoping Luciel wouldn’t get the wrong impression.

“Ah...okay.” The Miqo’te’s ears drooped and he fidgeted, still consumed with the idea that he truly was just being a bother. Sensing this, Lavi stopped rinsing and looked at him directly.

“You’re no burden. It’s just different without you there—the cafe, I mean,” he fumbled over his words. “Everyone misses you.”

“Does that mean you miss me too?” asked Luciel immediately, though he covered his mouth, flustered. His thoughts flew out of his mouth and he was going to regret it.

Lavi looked at him with awe, but he gave him a reassuring smile. He turned around afterwards, working on the last set of tableware to clean. “Yes, I do.”

Luciel was glad he had looked away for he was trying not to show the ardor that was swelling in his breast. Trying his best to hide his excitement, his body betrayed him; his ears wiggling and his tail wagging more like a dog’s. Though he was very happy in this moment, he realized that he needed to regain his bearings again.

“So does that mean I’ve been out for awhile? How long has it been?”

“You’ve been unconscious for three days.”

The smile on his face dropped.

 _Oh fuck_ , he thought. _Tessa’s gonna kill me._

With the way he had bolted out of the club that night she wasn’t going to forgive him so easily. Without him they were short staffed and he could imagine the worry and ire his coworkers would have for him. He had to find a way to ease her anger, somehow. And if he’d been out for three days that would mean—

“I’ll be opening up today. I’ll be home by the 19th bell. The tomes in the study are available for you to read in the meantime,” said Lavi. “I don’t have much else for entertainment, but please stay awhile and rest.”

His boss dried his hands before slipping on the gloves Luciel had gifted him, patting his shoulder before going to dress up for work. It did not take long for Lavi to wash up and get dressed, already making his way for the front door. Luciel followed him to see him off.

Lavi turned to look at him, regarding the poor shape he was in but acknowledging this was far better than him flat on the bed for days on end. “I’ll be back.”

“Have a good day at work!” said Luciel, seeing him off like some housewife. The door closed, Lavi locking it with a key before departing.

The Miqo’te had to process his living situation now—he was living in Lavi’s home—albeit temporarily. The excitement could kill him, but would it be short lived? He was never one to sit and stay in one place for too long.

Now alone, the house almost felt empty. But the owner’s presence still felt very there—this was his home after all. Ever so curious, he wanted to explore through everything to dig up some more information on him. However, he remembered that he did not probe him about what caused his injuries and decided it was best to respect his boundaries. A little voice inside told him that Lavi didn’t say anything about snooping, but he would fight the voice with better judgment, for now.

But there was only one thing he absolutely needed to know, who was the man that attacked him? He realized he missed his chance to ask him. He was too hungry and distracted to ask.

“Drat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun chapter to write to get into the inner workings of Luciel's mindset! Though Lavi's perspective was pretty brief, I'm looking forward to get more into his psyche later. He turned out to be quite a complicated character so I'm still going through the process of his characterization when shit hits the fan. The next chapter will come a little more later than usual, but expect possible steamy things. v:

**Author's Note:**

> First of all; thanks for reading! These first few chapters were intended to be a fourth or fifth chapter with the former first few chapters building upon the lore of their world and what contexts they were living in. I accidentally deleted the first chapter and it's so frustrating... :( Someday I will write it again and make it stronger. This fic at its current state is written for friends and audience who are aware of my and my friend's WoLxWoL lore/character development. If things are confusing, please forgive me! This story was born out of self-indulgence; enjoy the ride while you're still here!


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